Owning the Mafia Don

Schwartz was leaving the Club. He was still scowling as he thought of the woman he had met in the Boss’ room.

Was Lucien out of his bl*ody mind? He thought furiously as he strode out, his men a few paces behind him.

The new Fight Club was going to be larger, and more exclusive than the Minotaur and that was saying something! Lucien Delano had spent millions on his pet project and Schwartz was aware that it was his ploy to draw out the evil Dmitri Rudenko.

But why bring in that filthy woman with the morals of an alley cat, he thought for the millionth time. he ahd done hs fair share of snooping and had discovered more details.

Catalina had been with the filthy East European warlord for a brief time before his tastes had made her leave him and switch to another lover. But would that guarantee that Dmitri Rudenko would turn up at the inauguration of the new Club?

True, Dmitri Rudenko he had been obsessed with Catalina, more, as Schwartz suspected, because she had been completely besotted by Lucien Delano.

And she continued to believe that he loved her.

But most of all, how would beautiful, loyal Proserpina feel about it all? The young woman had suffered enough; why put her through more?

Handsome James sighed. He loved the woman, that was the problem.

Schwartz swore roundly again.

Why could the Boss not see that he had unleashed a deadly creature when he invited Catalina to be on his team, to be his Card girl? A former porn star, for fu*k’s sakes and one who had been his lover and acted as though she wanted back in the Mafia Don’s life.

Fu*k! he thought, and the men with him exchanged glances. Schwartz was always easygoing; he was rarely in a bad temper, but this evening, as he waited for his car to come round to the entrance, he looked like thunder.

***

It was almost dawn now, a little past 3 a. m. Lucien had been going over and over the details; the cage, its’ position, the way the entrance for the fighters should be accessed easily from their green rooms; the man was a perfectionist. Catalina had come down after a while, sulky and petulant, trying to vie for the Boss’ attention by behaving in a loud and sexually aggressive manner. But Lucien had ignored her. She had soon realised that he was not interested in her, not then at least. In a huff, she had stomped off with a couple of young men she had picked up. There was no need to ask what she had been about to do, thought Schwartz, his frown intensifying.

Most of the guests had either retired to the private rooms upstairs to continue their fun or had left the Club.

***

A loud scream startled Schwartz. A figure came round the corner of the largely deserted building beside the car park, hurtling along at full speed. This was the area housing the kitchens and the staff areas.

His eyes widened; there were strict rules that Lucien kept reiterating. Everyone on the premises was there only with their consent. No forced relations would be entertained. A couple of times, members had been thrown out by the burly bouncers for breaking the rules.

The Mafia Don was ruthless but rules were rules and Lucien was merciless if one was broken; and no one had dared to cross him,

Schwartz acted immediately, instinctively. He stepped into the path of the small figure hurtling down the path and wrapped his arms around it. The struggling, shrieking, wildly kicking person turned out to be a woman who began to flay her arms, scratching and abusing him loudly.

‘Ow!’ he cried as one punch landed on his face and he dumped the figure onto the ground, jerking back the hoodie as he did so. His men were beside him, Lee having chased away the miscreants who had run off into the dense undergrowth, the grounds of the Club.

He looked down into the face of the woman who was sitting up on the ground, rubbing her backside, glaring at him, gracelessly rubbing her ass and swearing like a trooper. Her hoodie had fallen back, revealing wild copper curls that bounced as she glared at him. As she recognised him, her face flamed.

“OH!’ She cried, her mouth forming a perfect O.

“You again!’

Schwartz looked at the figure in some exasperation.

This was becoming an annoying habit.

Lying on the ground, staring up at him, was the woman who had collided with him the other day, the one who had thrown her arms around him and kissed him impulsively. He had wondered in passing what she had been running away from that evening. But with Lucien and the appearance of Catalina, he had been too preoccupied.

Now he helped the woman to her feet while she dusted her behind, avoiding his gaze.

“Thanks,’ she stammered and turned to leave.

“Wait!’ he said sharply.

And as she turned, her wide green eyes fixed on him. There was no fear, just defiance, a strength that he found rare in a woman of her youth.

“What is it?’ she snapped, turning around to glare at him. Schwartz’s next words took her by surprise.

She scowled at him, hackles rising. He smiled inspite of himself. She was like a little orange cat he had had once, a small stray that would spit and scratch every time someone tried to stroke it. He grinned at her

“It’s late. I will drop you home.’

Schwartz was exhausted and it was very late. But the thought of how Proserpina would be hurt had made him more upset than he could have imagined…

He knew it was stupid but he loved her wholeheartedly; had loved her from the time he had seen how Lucien was unable to recognize the beauty within the woman he had married.

Now he met the green eyes of the woman who was watching him, her freckled face curious.

“Why would I trust you?’ she demanded and he gave a short laugh.

One of his men stepped forward, annoyance on his face.

It was Lee.

“Do you know who this is, girl?’ he growled, ‘This is James Schwartz, ‘

She spun on him rudely, ‘And who’s…’

Belatedly the name seemed to make sense.

“You…’ she stopped, a hand going to her mouth.

“oh NO!’ thought Sophie, The handsome man she had kissed so impulsively was one of the Founders of The Club?

The one the girls spoke highly about?

They called him Handsome James. He was regarded as being the opposite of the cold, ruthless Lucien St. Claire.

And she had kissed HIM???